Goliath’s Official Preview and Predictions for UFC 212

Yancy Medeiros (-140) vs Erick Silva (+110)

On to the main PPV card! If nothing else, this fight should be incredibly entertaining. Erick Silva and Yancy Medeiros aren’t exactly racking up consecutive wins. Silva has actually lost two of his last three fights, and Medeiros has only gone 2-2 in his last four. Neither fighter even cracks the top 15 in welterweight rankings. But they are both known for putting on entertaining stand-up contests, which is why they get to appear on the main card.

The odds for this fight are pretty close, given that each fighter has a solid puncher’s chance of ending it via knock out. We’ll go with the hometown guy, though, just for the slightly better payout.

Prediction: Erick Silva via Decision.

http://mmanewssource.com/erick-silva-vs-brandon-thatch-slated-ufc-fight-night-95/ Via mmanewssource.com

Paulo Borrachinha (-300) vs Oluwale Bamgbose (+230)

This fight features two men who are looking to really make a name for themselves. Like the previous bout, you won’t the names of either fighter on the top 15 UFC rankings. In fact, both are relatively early in their career. Bamgbose, a Bronx native, only has eight professional fights so far, going 6-2. Meanwhile Borrachinha has only fought nine times, but sports a sparkling 9-0 record. Even more remarkable is that eight of those nine wins have come via knockout, which likely played a big part in bookies making him a pretty big favorite. And we can’t argue with that.

Prediction: Borrachinha via Knockout.

http://www.mmafighting.com/2017/3/29/15106250/paulo-borrachinha-oluwale-bamgbose-ufc-212 Via MMAFighting.com

Vitor Belfort (-160) vs Nate Marquardt (+130)

It’s actually surprising that these two have never fought before, considering the longevity of their respective careers. Unfortunately for fans, the fight would have been much more interesting 8-to-10 years ago when both guys were still in their prime. As it stands today, we’re getting a 40-year-old Vitor Belfort and a 38-year-old Nate Marquardt.

We’re not really sure why Belfort is the favorite here, except he probably still have knock out power. But he’s lost three fights in a row (and four of his last five), and honestly hasn’t looked the same since the UFC ramped up their drug testing policies and banned testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Then again, Marquardt has only won three of his last 10 bouts, so he’s not exactly worthy of being a favorite here either. There’s no real value betting on Belfort, so…

Prediction: Marquardt via Decision.

http://www.mmafighting.com/2015/6/21/8807049/coach-was-cursing-out-everybody-trying-to-get-nate-marquardt-fight Via MMAFighting.com

Claudia Gadelha (-350) vs Karolina Kowalkiewicz (+265)

This fight has some real teeth, as it features the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked contenders in the strawweight division. Unfortunately for both of them, Joanna Jedrzejczyk is the champ and neither of them have been able to beat her. Gadelha has lost to Joanna twice already (the only two losses of her career, in fact), while Kowalkiewicz suffered her first career loss at the hands of Jedrzejczyk back in November 2016 (to go along with an amateur loss to the current UFC strawweight champ before either of them turned pro). This fight may as well come with the subtitle, “Winner Will Be Crowned the Best Female Strawweight in the World Not Named Joanna Jedrzejczyk.”

As for the odds, they are heavily in favor of the Brazillian Gadelha. Kowalkiewicz may be 10-1, but some of those decisions were split decisions, showing how close she was to actually losing. We don’t think Gadelha will allow it to be a close fight.

Prediction: Gadelha via Decision.

http://sportv.globo.com/site/combate/lutador/claudia-gadelha.html Via Blobo.com

Jose Aldo (-150) vs. Max Holloway (+120)

For a decade, Jose Aldo was the best small (read: welterweight and under) fighter on the planet. That crown may now belong to Demetrious Johnson, but Aldo is hardly over the hill. Still just 30-years-old, Aldo’s loss to Conor McGregor was his first since 2005. With the cocky Irishman now moved up to lightweight, Aldo was the interim title and was later promoted to undisputed champ.

In the meantime, Max Holloway also won an interim featherweight belt (it’s complicated, don’t ask how). The bottom line, though, is that the titles will be unified Saturday night in Rio de Janeiro. Holloway has won ten fights in a row, but he’s never fought someone quite like Aldo before. We’re still holding out hope for a McGregor vs. Aldo rematch, and the only way that happens is if Aldo retains the featherweight title. And quite frankly, he should be able to do that with relative ease. No disrespect to Holloway, but Aldo is simply a better fighter.

Prediction: Aldo via Knockout.

http://www.lowkickmma.com/UFC/jose-aldo-gets-stitches-less-than-a-month-before-ufc-212/ Via lowkickmma.com